Backplate for loose-leaf binders



Dec. 1 5, 1925 E. W. CARPENTER BAGKPLATE FOR LOOSE LEAF BINDERS FiledSent 10, 1925 ave/141 M Patented Dec. 15, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

EDWARD W. CARPENTER, F FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO E. W. CARPEN-TER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TIONOF CONNECTICUT.

BACKPLATE FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS.

Application filed September 10, 1925. Serial No. 55,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it ,known that I, EDWARD W. CAR- PENTER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at F airfield, county of Fairfield, State ofConnecticut, have invented new and useful Backplates for Loose-LeafBinders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders of the type in which thereare one or more sets of oppositely disposed complementary arched arms,the free ends of which are separable to allow for inserting or removalof the loose leaves, and may then be pressed together to secure theleaves thereon, and in which resilient means is provided for holdingthese arms either in the open or closed position. i

It is an object of the invention to simplify the construction of thistype of binder by reducing the number of parts and making these partsless complicated, so that the device will require less metal and may bemore cheaply manufactured.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a construction for adevice of this character which will give a better appear ance, and astronger construction with the use of less metal than is required in theordinary binders. I

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification, similar reference characters being employedthroughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. Inthis drawing,

Fig. l is a front elevation of my improved binder complete.

Fig. 2 is a section through the mid-section of the cover showing theback member in side elevation, aportion thereof being broken away tomore clearly show the con struction.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the back member removed from the cover.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the central portion thereof showing aslightly different construction; I

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the back member is formed.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the back member showing the leafholding means closed, the section being substantially on line 66 of Fig.3, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 3 andshowing the holding means in open position.

The loose leaf hinder or securing means comprises a back member 10 ofresilient sheet metal and substantially U-shape in cross section toprovide side portions 11 at the opposite sides of the member, and theopposite ends of the member are rounded in a direction longitudinally ofthe member as shown at 12, so that the member when formed is of onepiece of sheet metal with the walls thereof continuous and the freeedges of the member are continuous about its periphery and are insubstantially a single plane. The cover for the loose leaves comprises amid-section 13 and the front and back cover sections 14 and 15 hinged tothe opposite sides thereof, and the back member'is secured to themid-section by means of rivets 16 passing through this member and thesection, so that this midsection closes the open rear side of the memberand rests against the peripheral edges of this member. It will beapparent that when so mounted the elements mounted within the member areentirely enclosed and the walls of the member are continuous with noprojections or slits.

The loose leaf securing means are mounted in this back member andcomprise the rods 17 and 18 which are bowed at their opposite ends toprovide the oppositely disposed complementary curved or arched arms 19and 20 extending at substantially right angles to the body of the rod.These rods are pivotally mounted in the back member by extending thearms 19 and 20 through openings 21 in the side portions of the backmember, the sides of these openings extending beneath these arms toprovide the pivotal connection or support for the rods in the member.The rods are also offset toward each other adjacent their opposite endsas shown at 22, and one is provided with a recess 23 and the other witha rib 24 seated in the recess and in which it may pivot and form atoggle connection.

The resilient action of the side portions 11 of the back member tends topress inwardly on the outer sides of the rods 17 and 18, and cooperateswith the toggle connections to hold the arms 19 and 20 either in theopen or closed position, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. These sideportions yield outwardly through the action of the toggles as the armsare opened. or closed. Where there is no support for the portions of therods between the toggle connections the pressure of the side portions ofthe back member will tend to bow the central portions of these rodsinwardly toward each other, so that a portion of the resilient effect isdissipated in this bowing action and is thus not available for use inconnection with the toggles to hold the arms in the open and closedpositions. I, therefore, place a strut or spacing element between thecentral portions of these rods intermediate the toggle joints to holdthe central portions properly spaced and thus prevent this bowingaction, and therefore, cause the entire force of the resilient action ofthe back member to be expended through the toggles to hold the bowedarms in either the open or closed position. For this purpose one or moreears are cut from the body of the back member on three sides and bentinwardly about the remaining side so that the ear extends betweentherods and holds their central portions properly spaced to maintainthem straight and against the side portions of the back member. Ifpreferred a separate holding member 26 may be provided, as shown in Fig.4:, which comprises a piece of rod of proper length and recessed at itsends to receive the sides of the rods.

In forming the back member I first form a blank 27', substantially asshown in Fig. 5, of flat sheet metal with its opposite enc s 9.8 roundedas shown, and also providing spaced pairs of openings 21. The blank isthen formed on suitable forming dies so that it cupped as indicated inthe remaining lie-ares to make it substantially U-shaped in crosssection with the opposite ends rounded in a direction longitudinally ofthe strip as shown at 12. The curved ends 28 are so shaped that at theend of this forming operation the free edges of the periphery of theblank are continuous and in substantially a single plane. Therefore, asthe con- YOK surface of the member is smooth and continuous with noslits or the like it may be directly secured to the mid-section of thecover and no covering member such as is used in the usual binders isrequired. It will be apparent that this member is much more rigid inconstruction than the usual back member because the side portions 11 arerigid and continuous with the body of the member at the ends thereofinstead of being disconnected therefrom as in the usual construction ofthis device. Thus with this construction I not only secure a neater andmore attractive appearance for the back member, but I secure thiswithout the use of the usual covering member, and I also secure greaterrigidity and strength without the use of the cover member. I, therefore,save the cost of this extra cover member, secure a stronger constructionas the back member is not slotted at the opposite ends of the sideportions, reduce the number of members required and effect a materialsaving in the amount of metal used.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a loose leaf binder, a resilient back member substantially U-shapein cross section to provide side portions, said back member being madein one continuous piece of sheet metal with the ends thereof rounded ina direction longitudinally of the memher so that the free edges of themember are substantially in the same plane, a pair of rods pivotallymounted between and engaged by said side portions and provided withoppositely disposed complementary arched arms, and toggle connectionsbetween said rods adjacent the opposite ends thereof.

2. In a loose leaf binder, a resilient back member substantially U-shapein crosssection to provide side portions, said back member being made inone continuous piece of sheet metal with the ends thereof rounded in adirection longitudinally of the member so that the free edges of themember are substantially in the same plane, said side portions beingprovided with spaced openings, a pair of rods provided withoppositelydisposed complementary arched arms extending through saidopenings, the sides of the openings extending beneath the arms toprovide bearings therefor, and toggle connections between the rodsadjacent the opposite ends thereof.

In a loose leaf binder, a resilient back member having side portions, apair of rods pivotal'ly mounted between and engaged by said sideportions and provided with oppositely disposed complementary archedarms, toggle connections between said rods adjacent the opposite endsthereof, and a spacing element comprising a portion of the member cuttherefrom on all except one side and. bent into a position where itextends between the rods intermediate the toggle connections and servesto prevent the rods bowing inwardly toward each other.

l. In combination, a cover comprising a mid-section and front and backcover sections hinged to said mid-section, a resilient back membersubstantially U-shape in cross section to provide side portions, saidback member being in one continuous piece with the ends thereof roundedin a direction longitudinally of the member so that the free edges arecontinuous about the periphery of the member and are in substantiallythe same plane, a pair of rods pivotally mounted between and engaged bythe side portions and provided with oppositely disposed complementaryarched arms, toggle connections between the rods adjacent the oppositeends thereof, and rivets passing through the 10 member and themid-section to secure the section to the member over the open sidethereoi and against its free edges.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD W. CARPENTER.

